Work to provide value-added products

To the editor:

On Feb. 21, Neil Fried of the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development gave a short briefing on the current state of economics to the Mat-Su Borough Assembly.

That lesson can be summed up in the following sentence: The Valley continues to grow at a rate unmatched by any other region in the state of Alaska or the United States.

That conclusion appears to be in opposition to most of the statements made in the preambles of ordinances addressed by the Mat-Su Borough Assembly over the last two years. Those preambles, in my opinion, tried to foster fear in the minds and hearts of the general public.

Being as generous as I can, those misconceptions were honest on the part of those proposing that retrospective legislation. Hopefully, the assembly and mayor will head Fried’s briefing and know that the Valley is doing just fine.

Employment in the Valley is growing very significantly with the addition of more than 200 jobs at Goose Creek Correctional Center, and medical employment grows with the addition of the Alaska Native medical center at the corner of Palmer-Wasilla Highway Extension and Knik-Goose Bay Road. Additionally, Fried’s data indicates that home building in the Valley is increasing again this year.

Fried’s briefing, when studied by open minds, proves just who pays the bills in this borough. It is certainly not business. Any taxes paid by business are passed along to customers. The customers pay the taxes. The briefing also, when studied, shows how the cash flow in our economy drains to investors, stockholders and business owners outside. We the taxpayers of the borough represent labor in all classical economic theories. What we need to do to enhance that cash flow and grow our economy further is to try our best to provide a value-added product to the market.

William H. Bruu

Wasilla